How the ferry could save your holiday

If you're wondering how to afford a foreign holiday this year, think ferries.

Fares on the short cross-Channel routes are as cheap as they have ever been.

For less than some low-cost airlines charge a family just to check in their bags, this summer you can get your car and full complement of passengers to the Continent and back on a ferry – along with as much luggage as you like.

And though most airlines are cutting back or consolidating on flights in the current economic climate, a number of ferry operators are investing in new routes, ships and services.

Keep your family holiday afloat: Ferry fares are as cheap as they have ever been

French shipping company LD Lines is starting two new cross-Channel services next Thursday: from Dover to Dieppe and Dover to Boulogne.

Its Dover-Boulogne operation effectively replaces SpeedFerries, which bit the dust last year.

LD Lines reckons that using a conventional ship geared to carrying freight as well as tourist passengers makes more business sense than SpeedFerries' leisure-oriented catamaran service.

There's also, by the way, the possibility of a new high-speed service to Boulogne from Ramsgate being started soon by a company called Euroferries.

Keep an eye on developments online at www.euroferries.co.uk.

More concrete news is that from Tuesday, Eurotunnel's shuttle services should resume their standard frequency and speed on completion of repairs following the fire in the tunnel last September.

On the same day, Brittany Ferries is introducing a £110million new 'cruiseferry', the Armorique, on its Plymouth-Roscoff route. In March, it is launching a Portsmouth-Santander service.

Meanwhile, over on the East Coast, Norfolkline is reviving Scotland's only ferry link with the Continent, with a thrice-weekly service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge starting in May.

While travelling by ferry can be terrific value, some operators are cheaper than others, and there are several Crafty ways of keeping costs down, outlined below.

Note that many operators offer cut-price deals for day trips or short stays – the following advice applies in general to longer stays.

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BOOK EARLY FOR PEAK SUMMER CROSSINGS

Like the no-frills airlines, most ferry companies (and Eurotunnel) now offer 'fluid pricing', with fares rising as services fill up.

At the moment, you can take the car and family across the Dover Strait at civilised times on weekends in the school summer holidays for about £75 to £100 return with SeaFrance, P&O Ferries or LD Lines – amazing value. Don't panic if you're not ready to book, though.

Last May, it was still possible to find sailings on peak summer dates on Dover-Calais routes for £120 return.

TRAVEL MIDWEEK, AND AT ANTI-SOCIAL TIMES

By choosing crossings in the early hours of, say, Wednesdays, you can find return fares, even in August, of around £50 return on the Dover Strait.

USE OPERATORS' WEBSITES

Many websites have charts that compare prices for crossings at different times.

And book your journey online – most operators charge extra for phone bookings, as much as £20 with DFDS Seaways.

OPT FOR NORFOLKLINE

Its Dover-Dunkirk service is the cheapest way to get to the Continent.

Return fares for a car and passengers are as low as £35 and, even on peak summer weekends, currently you can find return fares for under £50.

The downside is that the two-hour crossings are longer than other short cross-Channel options, and less convenient for most French destinations.

TRAVEL ON P&O FERRIES' 'BEST FARE SAILINGS'

On its Dover-Calais route, the operator is offering several daytime crossings with reduced on-board services – such as no Langan's Brasserie restaurant or Club Lounge – and lower fares.

STICK TO SHORTER CROSSINGS...

Brittany Ferries' fares on longer western Channel routes are more reasonable than they used to be. However, for peak times they are still between £350 and £450 return for a car and family of four, excluding cabins.

That's at least £250 more than for crossings on the Dover Strait – which you may think is more than enough compensation for a lengthier drive if you're heading to western France.

...OR CONSIDER LD LINES' CROSSING TO LE HAVRE

The service is more basic than Brittany Ferries' options to Normandy but fares can be lower – by £50 to £80 return for a car and family of four travelling midweek in August.

FORGO CABINS

Some operators insist you have a cabin on longer crossings. But you can opt for reclining seats with some LD Lines services and with Brittany Ferries.

A couple travelling Portsmouth-Caen in the summer with Brittany Ferries could save nearly £200 on night-time crossings by booking reclining seats instead of the cheapest cabins.

TAKE THE FERRY ONE-WAY TO OR FROM SPAIN

Services to Spain can be pricey. For a car and family of four, including inside cabins, in the school summer holidays it will cost you about £850 with P&O Ferries and around £1,000 return with Brittany Ferries.

But it is possible to knock hundreds of pounds off your travel costs by choosing to drive through France on the way there or back, getting a cheap fare on a short Channel crossing for one leg of the journey.

SIGN UP TO A FREQUENT TRAVELLERS' SCHEME

Most operators offer discounts on crossings. Go to www.sailanddrive.com, click 'Ferry for you' and look under 'Best for Property Owners' for a summary of options.

BOOK DIRECT WITH OPERATORS

Agents specialising in ferry bookings sometimes charge markups. For example, I found fares quoted on www.ferrysavers.com and www.ferrycheap.com for crossings with Brittany Ferries and Eurotunnel that were markedly higher than the fares on the operators' own websites.